Ask the Experts

Garden City Hospital is here to help. Now you can browse, search and view answers to frequently asked health questions. Have a personal health question you need answered? We can do that too! Simply submit your question and we will get it to the appropriate GCH health expert for an answer.

Ask the Experts is for general information purposes only. It should never be thought of as medical advice or treatment, nor should it be used in place of a thorough medical screening or an exam by a licensed medical professional. Medical advice should be sought from an emergency room, urgent care center, or licensed medical professional. If you need help finding a physician, use our online physician directory to locate a Garden City Hospital Health Expert that’s right for you.

Check the Sunday issue or your local O&E for more answers from the GCH Health Experts.

Note: Questions are selected both randomly and based on relevance or frequency. Not all submitted questions will be answered. Answers will be posted on GCH.org and not supplied directly to the submitter. To maintain personal privacy, we do not require any personal information be given to submit questions.

Q

As an endocrinologist, what are some of the medical issues you deal with?

A

Because hormone and chemical balance is so important to proper metabolic function and good health, I see patients for a wide range of issues, including:

Because hormone and chemical balance is so important to proper metabolic function and good health, I see patients for a wide range of issues, including:

Diabetes – a rapidly growing problem on both a national and local level, and the most common endocrine disease in this country. It’s a condition that occurs when the body does not properly process glucose. This is due to the lack of insulin or, if the body is producing insulin, it is not working effectively.

Hormone Imbalances – which can have a significant impact on the reproductive system, particularly in women. Endocrinologists treat patients with fertility issues and assess and treat patients with health concerns surrounding menstruation and menopause. Hormone imbalances can even impact our bones. Osteoporosis and osteomalacia (rickets), which causes bones to soften, come under the guise of endocrinologists.

Hypothyroidism – occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. Insufficient thyroid hormone can cause many of the body’s functions to slow or shut down completely.

Metabolic Disorders – which occur when there is an imbalance of substances needed to keep the body functioning – hormone levels may be too high or low, or when some organs, such as your liver or pancreas, become diseased or do not function normally.